Traveling rocking-horse.



No. 6993 280. I PatentedMay 6, I902.

' n. BARRETT.

TRAVELING ROCKING HORSE.

(Appiication filed July 18, 1901.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheei l.

I. 1 Vw No. 699,280. Patented May 6, 1902.-

(n. BARRETT.

TRAVELING'ROCKING HORSE.

(Abplication filed July 18, 1901. I (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,-

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

ROY BARRETT, OF PALMYRA, NEWV YORK.

TRAVELING ROCKING-HORSE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,280, dated May 6, 1902.

Application filed'July 18 190}. Serial No. 68,795. (No model.)

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROY BARRETT, a citizen of the'Uni'ted States, residing at Palmyra, in the county of \Vayne and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traveling Rocking Horses; andIdo declare the following to bea fu1l,clear, and exact description of the invent-ion,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a traveling hobby or rocking horse.

The object of the invention-is to providea device of this kind which is adaptable for use by children,invalid adults, and others, whereby the occupant or rider may with but a slight expenditure of labor propel himself from place to place. 7

A further object of the invention is to provide a hobby-horse in which the parts of the horse or other animal figureemployed are constructed so as to simulate the motions of the horse in jumping or springing, so as to add interest and zest to the action of rocking.

Witlrthese and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in'the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, showing the position of the parts at the limit of the rearward rocking movement. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the position of the parts at the limit of the forward rocking movement. Fig. 3 is a top planview. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the two side frames with intermediate parts broken away; and Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section showing the normal positions of the weights, the weight 14 appearing in this view in dottedlines' to indicate the position 'said weight assumes upon the nearside frame (not shown) when the weight 16 on the far-side frame (appearing in full'line's) is in the indicated position.

The device comprises in its construction two side frames 1 and 2, each representing a horse or other animal figure and each composed of front and rear sections 3 and 4,-which are hinged together by pivot-pins 5, the corresponding hinged portions of the two frames ends by transverse braces 6. A bar or tube 7 further connects the front ends of the rear sections 4, while a bar or tube 8 connects the rear ends of the front sections 3 and serves as a support for the chair or seat 8. The sections 3 and 4 are mounted upon rockers 9 and 10, which are arranged to slide pastone another, the front rockers 9 being provided with stops 11 to limit the forward rocking motion of the horse and the rear rockers 10 with stops 12 to limit the rearward rocking movement of the horse. The parts 3 3 and 4 4 thus cooperate to form front and rear hinged frames, one of which, as shown, represents the front portion and the other the rear por tion of a divided horse or animal figure, which portions are mounted upon dividedrockers, each formed by two rockersections 9 and 10.

13 represents arms fixed to the rear sections 4 and projecting forwardly in advance of the pivots 5. To these arms 131s connected the bar 7, and one of said arms projects beyond said bar and carries a weight l4.

15 represents arms fixed to the front sections 3 and projecting rearwardly beyond the pivots 5. These arms 15 carry the seat-supporting bar 8, and one of said arms 15 projects beyond said bar 8 and carries a weight l6.

17 represents rein supports or guides rising from the front sections 3 and having passed through the guide-apertures therein the reins 17, which are attached at their forward ends to the front portions of said sections 3 ,The purpose of the two weights l4 and 16 is to counterbalance the front and rear framesections in such a manner as to maintain the parts in the normal position shown in Fig. 5. When in this position, one of the weights is arranged in advance and the other in rear of the pivots 5, so that said weights mutually counterbalance each other and prevent either the front or rear frame-sections from swinging on said pivots 5.

Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 2 when the horse is rocked rearwardly by the rider or occupant of the chair 8, the stops 12 come in contact with the floor and arrest any further backward action of the rear section 4 4, and then the rider by drawing on the reins 17 may pull and tilt the front section 3 3 upwardly and rearwardly to the being connected and braced at their outer V position shown in Fig. 1, thus causing the fore feet of the horse to be elevated, as if the horse were in the act of springing forward. hen the horse is rocked forwardly, the stops 11 come in contact with the ground, and as the weight of the rider is thrown forward of 'the center of gravity and overcomes the weight 14: the counterbalancing action is destroyed, and the weight of the rear section at at being sufficient to overcome the weight 14 the said rear section swings downwardly and forwardly,thus closing up said section against the front section 3 3 and causing the animal to assume a doubled-up or crouching position, as in Fig. 2, as if in the act of recovering from the previous jump and preparing to again spring forward. The horse is thus contracted on each forward motion and extended on each rearward motion, resulting in the horse having a constant forward travel as long as rocked.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, mode of operation, and advantages of the invention will be readily understood without a further extended description.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the invention without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A device of the character described comprising two side frames and each consisting of front and rear hinged sections forming parts of an animal figure, each section being mounted upon a rocker, the rockers of the sections being adapted to slide past one another, connections between the counterpart sections of each side frame, a seat carried by the front sections, and weighted levers attached to the front and rear sections, substantially as described.

2. A device of the character described,comprising front and rear hinged sections forming the parts of an animal figure, rockers upon which the sections are mounted and adapted to slide one past the other, a chair or seat carried by one of the sections, opposing counterbalancing-Weights upon the sections, and reins attached to the front section for drawing the same up to a tilted position when the device is rocked rearwardly, substantially in the manner set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROY BARRETT.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK E. CONVERSE, WILLIAM II. BOWMAN. 

